Roll up your sleeves and take a few minutes to master five home repairs that you can do yourself without dangerous tools or complicated instructions. Even though spending a few hours regularly on DIY home maintenance and repairs may never become your hobby of choice, knowing how to perform a few simple fixes will keep your costs down and help get the work done on your schedule instead of your contractor's. How to DIY it: Take off the loose bar by removing the screws on each of the posts that mount the bar to the wall. (If one side is solidly attached, leave it alone.) With the mounting plate now exposed, try tightening the screws in it. If that doesn’t work, remove it. Chances are you’ll find two plastic anchors underneath. Poke them with a screwdriver and let them fall inside the wall. Replace with bigger, stronger metal toggle anchors (above), sold at hardware stores. Just drive them into the existing holes with a drill or a screwdriver, and then re­attach everything. Handyman Services completely remodeled my parents house top to bottom and it looks incredible. They completed the job on time and arrived every single day ready to work, unlike some contractors around this city. They painted, installed floating floors, & new lighting throughout the house, just to name a few things. Mike and the team brought a dated South Philly row home to a sleek, modern look which raised the property value immensely. I highly recommend this company for anything you need done around your home. My mother cried with joy once the project was completed. They went through two contractors and it was a total nightmare for them before Handyman Services got involved. Thank you guys for making my parents so happy!!
You may qualify if all of the following apply to your household:A child under six resides in your home or spends at least six hours per week in your home on a regular basis You have owned and lived in your home for more than one yearYour home was built before 1978You live in one of these city neighborhoods:Bond Hill, Westend, Over-The-Rhine, Mt. Auburn, CUF, Corryville, Madisonville, Avondale, South Cumminsville, North and South Fairmount, West, East and Lower Price Hill, Walnut Hills, Evanston Northside or Carthage

At age 16, Jerry Torre became the unlikely handyman and close friend to the recluse aunt of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and her daughter who at the time were living in a crumbling East Hampton, N.Y., estate. — Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, "Jackie Kennedy Onassis was 'horrified' of recluse aunt, cousin living in crumbling Grey Gardens, book claims," 12 Sep. 2018 Pascal is a poacher, a handyman and, for Moll, a madly attractive potential lover. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "Jessie Buckley flirts with danger in the tense, uneven British thriller 'Beast'," 10 May 2018 Two handymen found the victim and called 911 around 7:15 p.m. the same day. — Heidi Groover, The Seattle Times, "Tacoma couple arrested in connection with death of 67-year-old Renton man," 26 Sep. 2018 The same goes for handymen, painters, anyone in trade. — Carren Jao, latimes.com, "Getting through that condo remodel means taking extra steps," 8 June 2018 The handyman’s hut offers subscribers access to hedge trimmers, chain saws, leaf blowers and other equipment; users pay a flat monthly fee to borrow the tools and return them when they’re done. — Philip Delves Broughton, WSJ, "‘Subscribed’ Review: For a Flat Monthly Fee," 17 July 2018 Each member of the family had specific roles; his were trucker and handyman. — Annie Martin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "UCF's Dale Whittaker says he will rise to challenge of presidency," 31 Mar. 2018 Luthy was getting a few handyman jobs here and there, but wanted to see if Lowe's would hire him. — Megan Friedman, Country Living, "A Lowe's Store in Texas Hired a Disabled Veteran – And His Service Dog," 6 Dec. 2016 This 18-in-one tool allows the handyman on your list to carry his toolbox in his wallet. — Brianna Steinhilber /, NBC News, "18 last-minute Father's Day gifts for every type of dad (and every budget)," 12 June 2018

Hi reader in the U.S., it seems you use Wikipedia a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but this New Year's Eve we need your help. We depend on donations averaging about $16.36. But 98% of our readers in the U.S. are ignoring our messages, and there are only a few hours left in 2018 to help Wikipedia. If you donate just $2.75, the price of your coffee, Wikipedia could thrive. Thank you.

How well do the franchise chains perform? One Wall Street Journal reporting team did an informal assessment by hiring handymen all over the United States and asking them to fix a wide range of problems, from a relatively routine leaky faucet to a sticky door.[12] The reporter concluded that "with few licensing requirements and standards for the industry, prices are all over the board."[12] One quote was ten times as large as another.[12] Further, the reporter concluded "A big corporate name is no guarantee of quality or speedy service."[12] One corporate firm took three weeks to fix a stuck door.[12] Service varied from spotty to good, with complaints about unreturned phone calls, service people standing on dining room chairs, leaving holes between wood planking, but liked getting multiple jobs done instead of just one.[12] Customers liked handymen wearing hospital booties (to avoid tracking dirt in houses).[12] The reporter chronicled one experience with repairing a water-damaged ceiling. A franchise firm fixed it for $1,530; a second (non-franchise local handyman) fixed a similar ceiling for $125.[12] The reporter preferred the second worker, despite the fact that he "doesn't have a fancy van -- or carry proof of insurance".[12] Tips for selecting a good handyman include: ask questions, get written estimates on company stationery, make sure handymen guarantee their work, pay with credit cards or checks because this provides an additional record of each transaction, check references and licenses,[20] review feedback about the contractors from Internet sites. To find a competent worker, one can seek referrals from local sources such as a school or church or office park, to see if a staff handyman does projects on the side, as well as ask friends for referrals; a general contractor might have workers who do projects on the side as well.[20] Further, one can try out a new handyman with easy projects such as cleaning gutters to see how well they perform.[20]
When you book handyman service through Handy, you want to know that they are experienced and capable enough to deal with the job at hand. That’s why we ensure every professional on the Handy platform is rated and reviewed by their past customers. The requirements of different home repair jobs are never quite the same, and so we ensure that we connect you with the best handyman professionals that are able to handle your particular job. As I write this article, there is a man named Bob hammering large holes into the plaster ceiling in my entryway. If you were here, you'd smell what I'm smelling — the acrid odor of wet plaster, rusty pipes and the decades of black goo that has clogged them to a standstill. Bob is breaking up the ceiling to remove a few feet of 85-year-old cast-iron plumbing that's leaking tub water from the upstairs bathroom. With every strike of his hammer, I see dollar signs.
Instead of forking over $5,000-10,000 to replace all of your old windows with brand new ones, consider repairing old windows yourself. With a few hundred dollars in supplies (sand paper, paint, window glaze, etc.), you’ll be prepared to reglaze every window in your house. Though it can be a tad time consuming, you can prioritize the project by room, removing windows one by one to paint, reglaze, and, if necessary, replace any cracked glass. Get started glazing your windows here.
There’s nothing worse than starting a sink or toilet repair only to find that the shutoff valve won’t shut off. Some shutoff valves are easy to replace. For those that aren’t, turn off the main water valve, remove the packing nut, and then unscrew the stem and take it to the hardware store to find a replacement washer. Clean any grit out of the valve body and pop on the new washer. The valve will work like new. Generally the job of paid handyman is low status, a semi-skilled labor job. It's a less prestigious occupation than a specialist such as a plumber, electrician, or carpenter. With the emergence of large national chains, an effort is being made to change that perception, by emphasizing professionalism and the fact that a handyman is actually a technician with multiple skills and a wide range of knowledge. At the same time, unpaid homeowners skilled at repairs are valued for saving money. And handyman tools sometimes become useful in different places: for example, when a proper neurological drill was not available, an Australian doctor used a handyman's drill in 2009 to open a hole in the head of a 13-year-old boy to relieve pressure after a brain injury; the boy's life was saved.[11] Some Service Professionals are employees, franchisees, dealers, or independent contractors ("Corporate SP's") of larger national or corporate accounts ("Corporate Accounts"). In such event, you may be matched with the Corporate Account entity or with one of their Corporate SP's. The above screening criteria is not applicable to Corporate Accounts, and therefore, HomeAdvisor does not screen the Corporate Accounts or Corporate SP's.
It's a little awkward, so we'll get straight to the point: This Monday we humbly ask you to defend Wikipedia's independence. We depend on donations averaging about $16.36. But 98% of our readers in the U.S. are not responding to our messages, and time is running out to help in 2018. If everyone reading this gave $2.75, we could keep Wikipedia thriving for years to come. The price of your Monday coffee is all we need. When we made Wikipedia a non-profit, people warned us we'd regret it. But if Wikipedia were commercial, it would be a great loss. Wikipedia unites all of us who love knowledge: contributors, readers and the donors who keep us thriving. The heart and soul of Wikipedia is a community of people working to bring you unlimited access to reliable information. Please take a minute to help us keep Wikipedia growing. Thank you.
Quick-setting drywall compound lets you finish small repairs and fill deep holes in minutes instead of waiting days for premixed joint compound to dry. The small boxes are available in most home centers and paint stores are also easier to store and more likely to get used up than large bags or buckets. Click here to learn how to hang drywall like a pro. Click here to buy drywall compound on Amazon now.
The table below reports labor charges for one to six hours of work (per worker) for a sample of area handyperson services. (Rates were collected by our telephone shoppers who did not disclose their affiliation with Consumers' Checkbook.) As you can see, there are big differences: For one hour of work, you can pay between $50 and $259; for six hours between $300 and $774. The table also shows companies’ hourly rates. Some Service Professionals are employees, franchisees, dealers, or independent contractors ("Corporate SP's") of larger national or corporate accounts ("Corporate Accounts"). In such event, you may be matched with the Corporate Account entity or with one of their Corporate SP's. The above screening criteria is not applicable to Corporate Accounts, and therefore, HomeAdvisor does not screen the Corporate Accounts or Corporate SP's.
When you hire a contractor or specialist, they usually supply the materials, and often at a markup. If they don't provide the materials, they may not guarantee a repair, or your choices are limited to what they have in stock. When you choose your own materials, you know how much the product costs, and you can stay within your budget. You also get to choose the manufacturer, finish and register any warranty agreement. So last year, Mr. Hark and Mr. Larivee, who works in digital marketing, sold their condo and moved to a four-bedroom house, also in West Orange. They now have to mow their lawn and shovel their driveway when it snows, but when they had a drainage problem in the backyard, they got to choose their contractor and schedule the job based on when it made the most financial sense for them. Upholstery shops charge almost $200 to fix tears in your seats. You can do it yourself in a few hours with a vinyl and leather repair kit (less than $20) from any auto parts store. You’ll have to practice a bit to get the right color mix and it might not be a perfect match when you’re done, but it’s a heck of a lot better than driving around with torn seats. Start by gluing reinforcing fabric onto the underside of the torn vinyl or leather. Then mix the heat-set filler to match your fabric color and apply it to the tear. Next, find a textured mat that most closely resembles the texture of your vinyl or leather and place it onto the liquid filler. Heat the patching tool with a clothes iron and press it onto the textured mat. Remove the patching tool, but leave the textured mat in place until the patch cools. Then peel it off. Get the full story on repairing leather here. “I was very pleased with the prompt scheduling and adherence to the appointment time. I was impressed with their meticulous cleanliness. To top it all off, they sent a supervisor after all of the work was finished to inspect it and ask me if I was satisfied. Needless to say, I was very satisfied! I found the price to be fair and will definitely use Brothers again.”
Don’t let your toilet be a mysterious device in the corner of your bathroom: Toilets actually operate by very simple mechanisms that are easy to understand. The majority of toilet issues—clogs, continuous running water, loud noises, etc.—can be solved with the quick purchase of a replacement part and some tinkering in the tank. Don’t be afraid to open it up and take a look. Also note: These are the things you should never, ever flush down a toilet
Do you have icicles forming on your nose while you're inside? Perhaps you need home heating and air conditioning help. Learn all about different heating systems including radiant heating, baseboard heating and more. (But when there's so much hot air in your house, you could fry an egg on the floor, please let us help you find a repair guy.) See All Heating & Cooling Examples of less frequent home maintenance that should be regularly forecast and budgeted include repainting or staining outdoor wood or metal, repainting masonry, waterproofing masonry, cleaning out septic systems, replacing sacrificial electrodes in water heaters, replacing old washing machine hoses (preferably with stainless steel hoses less likely to burst and cause a flood), and other home improvements such as replacement of obsolete or ageing systems with limited useful lifetimes (water heaters, wood stoves, pumps, and asphaltic or wooden roof shingles and siding.

Protecting you and your home is our No.1 priority. Every member of our team takes the company credo to heart; treating each customer like family and every home - like our own. It’s not easy trusting a stranger with your most cherished investment. Our skilled and experienced repairmen will earn your trust by listening carefully to your needs and delivering stunning results. We are so confident in our home repair services, we back our work with an ironclad guarantee.